Surgical truss



Sept. 9, 1952 Filed Aug. 25, 1950 8 a y 7 .R m B a 0 mm w 4 m m L m E W 11% a 1 J M W a m w n a i l H lllll a Patented Sept. 9, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SURGICAL Tn ss Joe D. Meyer, Parkersburg, Iowa Application August 25, 1950, Serial No. 181,387

This invention relates to surgical trusses, and more particularly to a hernial truss.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved hernial truss which is very simple in construction, which is comfortable to wear, and which will more effectively support a rupture during various movements of the body than the truss devices heretofore available.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved hernial truss which involves only a few parts, which is very inexpensive to manufacture, and which is readily adjustable in accordance with the comfort requirements of the person using the device.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claim, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the improved hernial truss constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional detail view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional detail view taken on line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary, elevational, detail view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary, elevational, detail view taken on line 55 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional View taken on line t6 of Figure 4;

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 'i-i of Figure 5.

Referring to the drawings, H designates a bowed supporting rod of resilient metal or the like, said rod being bent into substantially U-shape, as shown in Figure 1, and being sufficiently flexible to yield readily when it is placed around the users body. One end of the rod II is flattened, as shown at [2, and rigidly secured thereto is a rectangular plate member [3. Designated at it is the body pad of the truss device, said body pad being generally rectangular in shape and comprising a yielding cushion element I5 of sponge rubber or the like, which is covered by a flexible casing l6 which may be of flexible fabric or other suitable flexible sheet material, the pad I l being secured to the marginal portions of the plate member l3 by the spaced fastening rings, shown at [1. As shown in Figure 1, the body pad [4 faces inwardly with respect to the flattened end [2.

The opposite end of the flexible rod II is bent to define a relatively large loop It, as shown in Figure 5, the end of the rod member being se 1 Claim. (01. 128-105)" cured at [9 to the body of the rod member ll, so that the loop I8 is rigidly closed. Loopl8 maybe approximately three inches in width and four inches in length. Secured inside the loop 18 is a cushion comprising a main resilient body portion-20 of sponge rubber or-the like, which is provided with a covering 21 of flexible sheet material, such as fabric or the like the' covering 2! being wrapped around the loop I8 and stitched, as shown at 22, 22,, to secure the resilient pad body 20 and flexible covering 2| firmly to the loop [8 in positions covering substantially the entire area of the loop, as shown in Figures 5 and 7. As shown in Figures 1 and 5, the flexible covering 2| faces inwardly of the resilient supporting rod II and faces oppositely with re spect to the pad l4.

Secured to the rigid rectangular plate member I3 is a hook 23, and adjustably secured to the opposite end portion of the resilient rod member II is another hook 24. From Figures 1 and 2 it will be seen that the hook 24 is adjustably clamped to the rod I l by means of a pair of bolts 25, 25 passing through the body portion of the hook 24 on opposite sides of the rod l I and also passing through a clamping plate 26 disposed against the rod II and on the side opposite to the hook 24 and held thereagainst by nuts 28, 28 engaged on the ends of the bolts 25, 25. It will be readily apparent that the position of the hook 24 may be easily shifted by merely loosening the nuts 28, 28 and adjusting the hook to the desired location on the rod ll, after which the nuts may be reti-ghtened.

Designated at 29 is a flat, elastic band of substantial width, as shown in Figure 3, one end of the band having fastened thereto an apertured plate member 31' which is engaged on the hook 23, as shown in Figures 1 and 4. Designated at 3! is a buckle member engaged on the hook 24 and suitably formed to receive the free end of the elastic band 29 for frictionally fastening said free end thereto.

In use, the device is placed on the body with the looped element 18 disposed over the rupture and including the same within its area, the yieldable pad defined by the cover 2! and cushion 20 being supportingly engaged against the rupture. The pad it engages the users back and the elastic band 29 surrounds the remainder of the users body, maintaining the rod II and the respective pads carried by the ends of the rod 1 I in contact with the users body in any desired positions. The length of the band 29 is readily adjustable by means of the buckle 3|, and the point of securement of the hook 24 is readily adjustable by means of the nuts 28, 28, as above described. It is therefore readily apparent that the device is readily adjustable to meet the requirements of various users, and that a device manufactured according to a standard design may be adapted to the requirements of different patients.

The position of the loop may be reversed for use on opposite sides of the user's body.

While a specific embodiment of an improved hernial truss device has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except'as defined by-the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A hernial truss of the character described comprising a bowed spring rod member, body pads 20 secured to said member at opposite ends thereof, a first hook element carried by one end of said member, a second hook element and a clamping plate positioned against opposite sides of the member adjacent its other end, connecting bolts embracing the rod member and extending between the second hook element and clamping plate for clamping thereof to the rod member in file of this patent:

4 selected positions of adjustment longitudinally of the member, and an elastic band connected at opposite ends to the respective hook elements, that end portion of the band adjacent the second hook element overlying the body pad contiguous to said second hook element to exert pressure thereagainst tending to bias said body pad in the direction of an abdominal area over which it is positioned.

- JOE D. MEYER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 466,517 Ross Jan. 5, 1892 554,825 Lander Feb. 18, 1896 574,467 Ware et a1. Jan. 5, 1897 684,392 Bell Oct. 3, 1901 1,293,878 Nelson Feb. 11, 1919 2,539,508 Creighton Jan. 30, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 170,917 Great Britain Oct. 27, 1921 256,006 Great Britain Aug. 5, 1926 

